Retaining device or form when excavating



; INVENTOR.

Winfield fica' liflamey,

W. S. RAMEY RETAINING DEVICE 0R FORM WHEN EXCAVATING Original Filed Nov.22, 1928 v, I" I June 24, 1930.

l l l i I l I l l l l l I I l I I I llu ATTORNEY.

Patented June 24, 1930 UNITED STATES OFFICE WINFIELID SCOTT RAMEY, FUTICA, OHIO RETAINING DEVICE OR FORM WHEN EXCAVATING Application filedNovember 22, 1928, Serial No. 321,160. Renewed April 12, 1930. i

' This invention relates to a retaining device 'or form des1gnedpr1mar11y for use during the excavating of a grave, but it is'to beunderstood that a device in accordance 5 with this invention may beemployed for any purposes for which it is found applicable, such as alining for graves or other excavations, and the invention has for itsprimary object to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, adevice to prevent the falling of earth into graves during the excavationthereof or after the graves have been completed. v

The purpose of a retaining device or form in accordance with thisinvention is to allow the workmen to operate inside of the device duringexcavating and with the device sinking as the depth of the excavationincreases until the grave is completed. The device, after the grave hasbeen formed, is retained in the latter until after the undertaker turnsthe work over to one in charge, such as a superintendent of thegraveyard and the device remaining in the grave will prevent danger of acavein at a critical time.

Further objects of the invention are to provide, in a manner ashereinafter set forth, a retaining device or form for the purposereferred to which is simple in its construction and arrangement, strong,durable,

readily. assembled and disassembled, thoroughly efficient in its use,and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

With the'foregoing and other objects in view the invention consists ofthe novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts ashereinafter more speci cally described, and illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, wherein is shown an embodiment 40 of theinvention. but it is to be understood that changes, variations andmodifications can be resorted to which fall within the scope of theclaims hereunto appended.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters denote correspondingparts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a perspective view'of a retaining device or form for use inexcavating, N, in accordance with this invention. Figure 2 is afragmentary view in longitudinal section of the device and illustrat ingthe same within a grave.

FigureB is aview similar to Figure 2 taken at right angles thereto. c

Figure 4 is a sectional detail illustrating a modified form of a sidewall of the device. The retaining device or form is of'a shape tocorrespond to the excavation to be made,

and as the device is designed primarily for use in excavating graves,the contour of the 6 device will be rectangular as illustrated.

The device comprises four corner posts 1, 2, 3, 4, a pair of side walls5, 6 and a pair of end walls 7, 8. Each corner post is'in the form of achannel iron to provide a combined guide and retainer for an end of aside wall. As .each corner post is in the form of a channel iron apassage 9 is formed for the reception of the ends .of the end walls.

The corner post 1 opposes the post 3, but is oppositely disposed withrespect thereto and the corner post 2 opposes the post 1 and isoppositely disposed with respect thereto. The posts are of greaterheight thanthe side and end, walls and when the said walls are arrangedwith respect, to the posts the top edges of the walls are flush with-theupper endsof the posts. The side walls 5, 6 are of greater length thanthe end walls 7, 8, but the side and end walls are of the same height. v

The end wall 7 is fixedly secured against the outer face of the cornerposts 1,2 and connects said posts together. The end wall 8is fixedlysecured to the outer face'of the corner posts 3, 4 and connects saidposts together.

The sidewalls 5, 6 are detachably connected to and supported fromthe.corner posts and the means which detachably connect the side, wallsto the posts consists of transversely extending pins 10, and each ofwhich is removably mounted in a pair of aligning openings 11 formed in acorner post in proximity to the upper end thereof. See Figure 2. Thepins 10 extend through openings 12 formed in the side walls in proximityto the ends thereof. The means I01. supporting the side wallsconsiste'of short, cylindrical, headed members 13 which are fixedlysecured to the corner posts in proximity to the lower ends thereof andwhich are adapted to extend into notches 14. formed in the bottom edgesof the side walls in proximity to the ends thereof. The members 13 arespaced a substantial distance frornthe lower ends of the corner postswhereby when in supporting position with respect to the side walls 5, 6the bottom edges of these latter will be spaced asubstam tial distanceabove the bottom 15 of the grave or excavation 16. p

The side walls' 5,6 are positioned in close proximity to the sidewalls17 of the grave or excavation 16 and the end walls 7, 8 are arranged in;close proximity to the end walls 18 of the grave or excavation 16. The

device corresponds in height to the depth of'the excavation .or grave.As the walls jofthe device are spaced above the bottoms of; the cornerposts, a clearanceis provided so that the loose dirt at the bottom ofthe excavation can be conveniently removed.

When the device is'used it sinks as the depth. of theexcavationincreases, thereby acting as a protecting medium to prevent the walls ofthe excavation from falling or caving in. I

In Figures 1, 2 and 8 of the drawing the side walls 5,6 are illustratedas constructed of a single plate of sheet metal, but in Figure 4 amodifiedform of'side wall is illustrated and which. consists of twoplates of sheet metal 19, 20 fixedly secured together by rivets 21.Although the end walls 7, 8 are shown formed'from a single plate ofvsheet metal, yet it is to be understood that they: can be constructed.in the same manner .as that shown in Figure 4, with respect to the sidewalls.

When the device is setup the side walls are positioned in the passages'9 and extended downwardly therein so that the notches 14 will seat onthe supporting members 13 and after the side walls 5, 6 are arranged insuch manner, the pins 10 are extended through the registering openings11 and 12 to detachably secure the side walls 5, 6 to thecorner posts.

It is thought the many advantages of a retaining deviceor forminaccordancewith this invention and for the purpose set forth can bereadily understood, and although the preferred embodiment of theinvention is as illustrated and described, yet it is to be understoodthat changes in the details of construction can be hadwhich fall withinthe scope of the invention as claimed.

What I claim is:

1. A retainingdevice for the purposeset forth comprising a set of cornerposts each provided with a channel, and walls secured to saidjposts forconnecting them together,

supporting members extending across said channels in proximity to thelower ends of the posts, side walls having their ends positioned in saidchannels, said walls seating on said members, and means extendingthrough said posts and side walls in proximity to the upper ends thereoffor detachably the upper ends thereof for, detachablyconnecting the sidewalls to said posts, and each of said side walls having its lower endprovided with spaced notches for the reception of said supportingmembers. Y

'3. A retaining device for the purpose set forth comprising a setofcorner posts each provided with a channel, end walls secured to saidposts for connecting them together,

supporting members extending across said V channels lnproxlmity to, thelower ends of the posts, side walls having their ends positioned in saidchannels,'said'walls seating on said members, means extending throughsaid "posts and side walls in proximity to the upper ends thereof fordetachably connecting thesi'de walls to said posts, and said side andend walls having their bottom edges spaced above the lower ends of saidposts.

4. A retaining device forthe purpose set forth comprising a set ofcorner posts each provided with a channel, end walls secured to saidposts for connecting them together, supporting members extending acrosssaid channels in proximity to the" lower ends of the posts, sidev wallshaving their ends posiitionedin' said channels, said walls seating onsaid members, and means extending throughsaid posts and side walls inproximity to the upper endsthereof for detachably connecting the sidewalls to said posts, each of said side walls having its lower endprovid'ed'with spaced notches for the reception u 'of said supportingmembers, and said side and end walls having their top edges flush withthe upper ends of said posts and their lower edges spaced above thelower ends of theposts; I i

5'. A retaining device for the purpose set forth comprising a set ofcorner posts, end

walls connecting said posts together, supporting members carried by saidposts above and in proximity to their lower ends, side walls havingtheir bottom edges provided I withnotches forthe reception of saidsupporting members whereby these latter will WINFIELD SCOTT RAMEY.

